What I did to brick it?On short: After trying to restore a full NAND backup (8 GB containing Android factory installation) with Linux program rkflashtool, although there were no errors displayed during restore operation, the device does not boot anymore.

What I've tried for recovering the non-bootable MK802 IIIS?I tried with NO success the following Windows programs in a vmware XPsp3 virtual machine:- RK Batch tool 1.5- RK Batch tool 1.7- RK Android tool, various version that come with custom ROMs such as Finless ROM and NeoTV ROM

NOTE I (about virtualized environment): Before this last severe brickage, I was able to recover my device using RK Batch Tool 1.5 in a XP virtual machine on vmwareNOTE II (about preparations): WinXP manual driver installation went OK, and before each recovery attempt I put the device in flashing mode by powering up through OTG miniUSB while holding the reset button pressed with a paperclip, for 5-6 seconds. So I did my best to execute every step as the documentation required.

How the recovery attempts fail?Here comes description of the behaviour I got from the tested utilities:1)RK Batch tool 1.5 / 1.7: both versions behave the same: when I connect the device, the box 1 turns to blue (not green). Now:- when I try to upgrade to stock firmware (pressing "Upgrade" button), the operations run fine until the download firmware step. The download starts normal, and the progress runs in normal "rhythm" until about 9%. When it reaches 9%, the download rhythm "accelerates", meaning that it starts to count the progress quickly, from 10% to 100%(it reaches 100% in seconds). At 100%, it reports: "Download firmware failed". If I re-plug the device imediately after this operation, the box 1 turns green as it should be. BUT, if I attempt the upgrade again, it stops at "Waiting for loader" step.Then, if I attempt to replug again, the box 1 is again blue.

- when I try the recovery option (pressing "Recover" button), it starts to do the recovery (it executes OK some steps, such as checking device, resetting device, doing lowerlevel format), but at the 2nd device reset, it stops at "Waiting for loader".If I try to replug, the box 1 stays blue.

2) RK Android Tool: (tested with various versions) sees the newly connected device in "Loader mode". Now:- When I try to install everything(loader, boot, kernel, system), it executes some of the steps (checking device, lowerformat, resetting), but it fails at downloading firmware (in the same manner as RKBatchTool). The device reboots in "Loader mode" again, no matter if I press the reset tiny button or not (I tested both scenarios).

- If I click on "Erase IDB", the operation completes successfully, and device reboots in "Maskrom mode". But if I try again to install everything, it fails and it reboots in "Maskrom mode" again. Maskrom mode is undesirable because in this state (I guess because it lacks a loader) it doesn't even try to flash the firmware, instead it fails on resetting device.

- RK Android tool gives me success if I install only a minimal set (loader+parameters), but this does not help me, because the device is not booting with this minimal set. However it boots in "Loader mode" again (better than "Maskrom mode").

NOTE I: Yes, I have tried several combinations of RKBatchTool + RKAndroidTool, for example: 1)erasing IDB in RKAndroid and then re-connect in RKBatch to do upgrade/recovery, or 2)Attempting to install each separate component in RKAndroid Tool), but with NO SUCCESS.NOTE II: I even re-tried to restore once again my 8GB NAND backup using rkflashtool for Linux, but with NO success.

Conclusions and questionsSo, to put it short: The conventional recovery methods for MK802 IIIS are not working for me.

I have strong reasons to think that, when I used Linux rkflashtool to write ALL my 8GB NAND, some protected data portion on the NAND was corrupted(overwritten with bad data). It is so badly corrupted that common re-flashing utilities (which, I suppose, expect to find a partition table to work on) are failling.

NOTE(about hardware status): Based on my observations and tests results, I think the hardware (excluding NAND) is fully functional: the miniUSB (OTG and DC) ports are both working and the device receives power. The blue led on the device turns on every time I power it up. Also, the device manages to get in the flashing mode, it is recognized and displayed by the recovery software everytime. As I said above, during recovery operations, device is tested, resetted, CPU checked and identified. All these prerequisite checkings are reporting status OK. I think the brickeage root cause is merely a NAND data corruption of my MK802 IIIS.

Therefore my main question: Is there a stronger method to reset NAND and re-flash the Rikomagic MK802 IIIS ?By "stronger", I mean some hardware reset procedure, by short circuiting pins on NAND chip, like the one briefly mentioned here for MK808 model: http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/69561-rk3066-recovery/Is there anything similar for MK802 IIIS? If yes, can someone write which pins on the NAND must be shorted and which is the sequence of operations?

Any suggestion or advice will be VERY appreciated! Thank you in advance.

But obviously at least a question arises: Will pins 8 and 9 work for MK802 IIIS (note the S) too ?

And another question which "bothers" me: Is the short-circuit of NAND pins a stronger reset method than pressing the reset button with paperclip? Please clarify this to me.

Please, please, please, if you had a personal experience with NAND pins on MK802III (or MK802IIIS), post it! Nevermind if your experience was a success or failure. There's so little information about these alternate reset procedures, that I'm sure not only me, but the whole community would benefit from your experience.

I am in the same situation. But I have used the method of shorting pins and my Rikomagic can connect with RKBatchTool (recognized) but with a dark blue square. I have been reading in some forums that it is because the Rikomagic is currently in Mass storage mode. I have tried to click in the "Switch button" to get the Flash mode but no success. When I try to flash a new rom or erase NAND (with Finless ROM tool) I always receive the following messages:

Download boot failed/Download IDB failed

If you cannot connect to the RKBatchTool shorting the pins, I can show you the process.

A few notes/requests:- Please specify your device, exact model, version and features (w or w/o bluetooth, NAND size, etc). All the details, u know ... - Short note about your device appearing with dark blue square in RK Batch Tool: in the chinese blog entry I posted earlier (http://chunchaichang.blogspot.jp/2012/1 ... mk808.html), there's a screenshot with RKBatchTool with the device in blue square. So I think this is how it should be, when you use the "short pins" method of resetting the device. - The errors with "Download firmware failed" are familiar to me, this is what I get when trying to write the firmware after resetting my MK802 IIIS with the OTG+paperclip_actioned_reset_button. But the errors you receive regarding IDB are unknown to me. I will check for this IDB error when I'll do the short-pins on my own device, which brings me to the last point...- Yes, please write at least a brief step-by-step mini-tutorial on how you shorted the pins (and please write the pins numbers). If we have the same M802 model, you can use the picture I uploaded on the other forums to point out the pins (with little red arrows or something like that)

Thanks again for your reply, and let's hope the devices are recoverable somehow.

I answer you:- Rikomagic MK802IIIS 8GB with bluetooth. I have no idea about the NAND size.- I have read in several posts that the blue one means that the last status of the device regarding USB connection was "Mass storage". I was guessing that unless you are in USB Debugging mode you cannot really flash a new ROM. Maybe I am wrong, we need to discover what it means exactly. In the following post one user suggests it. http://www.rikomagic.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4774- The IDB error is when I use the tool included in Finless 1.7a or Finless 1.7b. There is a button called Erase NAND apart from Flash ROM button. I attach the link of the post to download. You can test it.http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?3931-NEW-iMito-MX1-2-Finless-ROM-1-7&p=53700#post53700- The pin numbers are 8 and 9. In the following screenshot I attach you can find in red the pins 8 and 9 marked with arrows and in yellow the first pin from you need to begin to count. The guide is the following:

1. Open the device.2. Connect into the OTG USB port a USB cable but don't connect to the computer. I am using Windows 7 and the USB drivers of Rikomagic website must be installed before.3. Open in Windows 7 the RKBatchTool.4. Use a earring of your girlfriend or something like that with a thin long metal stick.5. Place the stick touching both pins at the same time.6. While you hold the stick in the same position connect the USB cable to the computer.7. Don't move the metal stick until you see that RKBatchTool has detected your device and the blue box appears.8. Open now the Finless flasher tool and click on Erase NAND receiving the "Download IDB failed" or try to flash a ROM in RKBatchTool receiving the "Download Boot failed" (Switch button and Restore have the same behavior).

I hope it helps us to solve the problem. Please comment your progress. Good night!

- Rikomagic MK802IIIS 8GB with bluetooth. I have no idea about the NAND size.

NAND size is 8 GB, it's written in the model name.So, we have the same device Just to triple-check, I'll tell you that on the back of my device case (on the side without the green android), it's written: "Rikomagic MK802IIIS / 8G (B)". If you have the same, then we two have identical devices.

Your tutorial is nice & clear, I can't wait to test the pin-short method myself, but please attach the screenshot with the pins pointed out, also indicating how you start counting the pins. As soon as I get this info, I'll do the test and provide feedback here.

Nand chip used in this board is from Hynix but it has same lay out like the one on your picture.I have tried to short pin 9 and 10 but it didn't make a difference I still receive prepare IDB fail but I'm still able to format it.Is there any one who can help me with this ?Do you know you Nand chip model ? pin 9 and 10 in this Hynix chip are "chip enable" and "ground"